Re: PACEMAKER

Posted By CCF CARDIO MD-APS on October 17, 1998 at 16:53:36:

In Reply to: PACEMAKER posted by KRIS on October 11, 1998 at 00:05:39:






I HAVE A FRIEND WHO HER 14 YEAR OLD SON HAS WPW. HE HAD A PACEMAKER PUT IN AFTER HIS EP STUDY WITH ABLASION DONE. THE QUESTION IS CAN THIS TEENAGER PLAY HIGH SCHOOL
BASKETBALL OR BASEBALL? IT HAS BEEN 2 MONTHS NOW THAT THE PACEMAKER WAS IMPLANTED ALSO THE DR. SAID HE PUT IN HEAVY LEAD WIRES. WE UNDERSTAND THAT FOOTBALL IS A CONTACT SPORT BUT WHAT ABOUT BASKETBALL OR BASEBALL? HE ALSO LIKES TO PLAY ALOT OF THREE AND THREE BASKETBALL.



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Dear Kris,
Firstly, I apologize for the delay.  Secondly, I can give you a general opinion and
hopefully a better understanding of the limits of chest and arm muscle use after
pacemaker placement, however it is of the utmost importance that this patient
discuss with his/her cardiologist, specifically the doctor who put the pacemaker
in regarding his/her specific limitations.  
In general the arm on the side of the chest where the pacemaker was placed has
limits placed on it's range of motion for the healing period which essentially is
the first 6-8 weeks following the procedure.  After that, the limitations of the
shoulder girdle and arm (again, this is only on the side of the chest where the
pacemaker was inserted) are really just that the patient not do repetitive rotation
on a regular basis, especially any motion in a posterior direction (meaning any motion
where the arm goes behind the body.)  
Most times the doctors will place the pacemaker in the chest that corresponds with
the non-dominant hand, hence a right handed person with a pacemaker on the left should
be able to shoot a basketball,or swing a bat with his/her right hand.  Of course it
would be very important to get the opinion regarding each sport from the physician who
placed the pacemaker.
I hope you find this information useful.  Information provided in the heart forum is for general medical informational purposes only.  Only your physician can provide specific diagnosis and therapies.  
Please feel free to write back with additional questions.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter.  The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your problem.